H-D Electra Glide Ultra L...
H-D Electra Glide Ultra LTD.
Because much of our trip consisted of super slab, high speed cruising capability was crucial. Underway, all the bikes instantly feel lighter than at rest, though some were nimbler than others.
Harley's TC 96 power plant has been ripe for a change; it's reliable, but just not up to the task of powering a bike as big as the Limited. The Twin Cam 103 offers a subtle bump, with smooth if not mind-blowingly powerful performance. It beats the 96 hands down, and the six-speed Cruise Drive offers a tall top gear for quiet highway runs. Shifts are positive with the cable-actuated clutch, and the new helical cut fifth gear is noticeably smoother than previous straight-cut cogs.
Most pilots were happy with the Twin Cam 103's improved passing power, though chugging up steep climbs on a loaded Limited could occasionally tax the engine.
As for the Victory-giddyap! The engine's rumbling strikes a sweet spot between feeling the motor and enduring an annoying yowl. Roll-ons provide instant gratification, and despite a propensity for low-end thrust, this twin isn't afraid to pull throughout the midrange before topping at 5,500 rpm. The engine is well matched to the six-speed tranny, which has a true overdrive gear for comfortable high-speed cruising. Shifts are smooth, and neutral is easy to find.
Despite its muscle car styling, the Kawasaki is no hot rod. The slightly undersquare motor exhibited some shudder and shake, although not obtrusively. The fuel injection and new Electronic Throttle Valve system is very consistent though, with the best engine performance coming in third and fourth gears. When fully loaded on steeper hills, a few riders said they wished the Voyager had more torque down low. The hydraulic clutch was super-smooth for all (it's adjustable), and a six speed tranny offers positive shifts.
It may have the smallest displacement in the group, but Star's touring machine makes the most of its extra cylinders. The V4 hums along with a subdued throb and almost no vibration. It's a slightly underwhelming mill that comes alive when the throttle is whacked. Power comes on higher in the rev range, and when it's time to roll-on, there's enough poop to make downshifting an option. Aggressive riders appreciated the Venture's midrange, and it tackled big hills more easily than the Kawasaki or Harley. Even though the Venture has the smallest engine, it got the lowest gas mileage (thanks to inefficient old-school carburetors), though a 6 gallon tank usually helped keep its range over 200 miles. Most testers agreed the peppy mill was a pleasant surprise-though no match for the Vision.
Between thousands of miles of aggressive riding, we managed to jot down mileage figures. We were wowed by the Victory's 40.2 miles per gallon average, which bested even the Harley, the king of fuel economy in past tests. The Harley's 39.7 mpg was a close second.
The Voyager scored a reading of 34.7 mpg, which, when coupled with the smallest tank, didn't make for a great range between fill-ups. More than one tester complained of an unreliable range readout too, making long stretches of road nerve-wracking, and it was the only one to actually run out of gas on a long Wyoming stretch.
Let's Twist Again
When the route got twisty through the Rockies, the Victory made believers out of everyone. Despite its length, the Vision's handling was excellent, even when fully-laden. Although it looks long, its wheelbase is nearly an inch shorter than the Gold Wing's, the swoopy tailpiece providing the illusory length. Through a variety of low and high-speed turns, the Vision's chassis felt solid and planted. While the front 43mm fork isn't adjustable, the rear monoshock can be stiffened via a valve inside the saddlebag.
Even with the low seat height, testers were happy with the available ground clearance. The front-end steered positively with neutral handling, but in the parking lot, it's a different story: the bike feels its length (especially if the top case is loaded) and the passenger boards can nip at your heels in low-speed maneuvers, making for occasionally painful u-turns.
While the Vision can't match the Ultra's low-speed maneuverability, it felt more stable through high-speed curvy stuff, and in a straight line it shone. We even got a chance to test the integral bumpers, and they protected the bike from keeling over, just as advertised.
The Harley's suspension also offers over 5 inches of travel, but it's the generous front-wheel trail (a whopping 6.6 inches) that keeps it from feeling nervous. In a low-speed environment, the shortest wheelbase of the group allows the Limited to outmaneuver the others easily.
Ride comfort is good at all speeds, and 4.3 inches of rear suspension travel soak up most bumps. But the Harley's fork dives noticeably under heavy braking. The redesigned chassis gives it greater confidence in turns and it has commendable ground clearance, though its 901 lbs can be a handful when parking. Still, with your feet on the full-length floorboards and handlebars just under shoulder height, the upright riding position makes for easy balancing even at a crawl. And once you've brought it up to speed, the Limited eats miles with aplomb.
Chassis-wise, the Venture has the longest wheelbase of the group. Its suspension is generally soft but well-controlled and we also found it comfortable for medium stretches of road. Air-adjustable rear shocks can accommodate variable cargo loads, but testers often complained of vagueness from the front.
In the twisties, the Star Venture's front end can feel loose, it especially hates mid-corner bumps. Most of the time, you can tell what the front tire is doing, but sometimes, things feel disconnected or bouncy.
The Voyager's double cradle frame is more compact than the old Vulcan 1600's, which allows for the dresser's 65.6-inch wheelbase-the second shortest here. Couple that with the second lowest seat of the group (28.7 inches), and slow speed maneuvers are a breeze. The 1700 carries its weight low, which makes getting around parking lots easy.
The bike feels lighter than expected through curvy roads, though a few riders complained of wallowing when the Voyager overloaded its short-travel rear suspension. Another commented that the front end didn't seem well-set up for the weight of the big fairing. The limited lean angle too, was a bit of drag; on turns, eager riders can carve marks into the asphalt, more so than on any other bike here. Otherwise the Kawasaki offers a soft but controlled ride. Up to 43 psi of air pressure can be used to adjust the shocks on each side, along with four rebound settings. A side-mounted Schrader valve can be accessed with an accessory hand pump, just like the Victory and Harley.